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Jenny
Jenny is the fourth song on the album All Hail West Texas. Lyrics you roared into the driveway of our southwestern ranch-style house on a new Kawasaki, all yellow and black fresh out of the showroom. our house faced west, so the big orange sun positioned at your back, lit up your magnificent silhouette. how much better? how much better can my life get? 900 cubic centimeters of raw whining power. no outstanding warrants for my arrest. whoa-whoa. whoa whoa. the pirate's life for me. I hopped on back of the bike, wrapped my arms around you. and I sank my face into your hair. and then I inhaled as deeply as I possibly could. you were as sweet and delicious as the warm desert air. and you pointed your headlamp toward the horizon, we were the one thing in the galaxy god didn't have his eyes on. 900 cc's of raw whining power, no outstanding warrants for my arrest. hi diddle dee dee. god damn! the pirate's life for me! Comments by John Darnielle About this Song *"It's about love, after a manner of speaking." -- 2004-10-11 - The Black Cat - Washington, D.C. *"You know, people are always saying to each other, they say, 'You're the only thing that's important in my life.' Saying this to each other all the time. But then sometimes you may meet a couple of people and when you see them, you know that when they say that to each other, that's exactly what you mean. You should guard your wallets around these sorts of people. They don't really care about the things that are out of their immediate sphere, and their immediate sphere is definable by the distance between one another's eyes. This song is sung from the perspective of one such person in such a duality. It takes place in Texas." -- 2006-10-01 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *"For me, this Jenny is like, it is and isn't the same person. Usually the three songs I think that she's mentioned in, she is a function of memory, right, she's there for a person to be remembering something. And I think everybody has people like that in their lives who when you say their name, your memory floods with a whole bunch of feelings that you may have worked really hard to move past or that you miss and would like to recall or any number of other things. And that's who Jenny is for the narrators who recall her, as somebody who is gone and whose absence continues to assert itself... She is defined by an absence, she has yet to speak. She's in the song Jenny; the other two songs she's in, she's already gone. She calls on the phone in Night Light and, uh, she calls on the phone in Straight Six. ...She's not there when things are going well, and she's not remembered when things are going well. Often when you're remembering your past, you remember the parts that you were desperate about, right. You seldom- you might reflect on good times in one way, but often, you say, oh, yeah, no, when I was hanging out with so-and-so, you don't want to blame them, but you think, that is a difficult time, right. Jenny is an emblem of more difficult times for people, of wilder times. But also times that they're pretty clearly romanticizing, right, that they're also remembering as the time when they were on a motorcycle with no responsibilities, livin' the pirate's life, right." -- I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats episode 4 Things Referenced in this Song * The eponymous character also appears in the songs Night Light and Straight Six; in episode 13 of I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats, John said that Jenny is also the sender of the postcards in Source Decay. Live Shows this Song Was Played at *2001-06-23 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2001-12-07 - Good Records - Dallas, TX *2002-03-07 - Independent Media Center - Urbana, IL *2002-03-08 - WNUR Session - Evanston, IL *2002-03-08 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL *2002-03-10 - The Green Room - Iowa City, IA *2002-03-11 - The Maintenance Shop - Ames, IA *2002-04-13 - Sky Church - Experience Music Project - Seattle, WA *2002-10-08 - McGarrigle's - Sligo, Ireland *2002-10-09 - Radio Na Life Session - Dublin, Ireland *2002-10-09 - The Cobblestone - Dublin, Ireland *2002-10-23 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2002-11-01 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL *2002-11-03 - The Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH *2002-11-06 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY *2002-11-08 - Go! Rehearsal Studios, Room 4 - Carrboro, NC *2002-11-13 - Opolis - Norman, OK *2002-12-07 - Amstel Festival - Amsterdam, The Netherlands *2003-02-05 - Hanbury Ballroom - Brighton, England *2003-04-06 - Gate City Noise - Greensboro, NC *2003-04-08 - Beta Bar - Tallahassee, FL *2003-04-09 - Will's Pub - Orlando, FL *2003-06-06 - Triple Rock Social Club - Minneapolis, MN *2003-06-27 - Mains D'oeuvres, Mofo Festival - Paris, France *2003-07-02 - The Guinguette Pirate - Paris, France *2003-09-27 - Mercury - Austin, TX *2003-11-11 - Kimmel Center - New York University - New York, NY *2004-02-01 - WXDU Session - Durham, NC *2004-02-18 - The EARL - Atlanta, GA *2004-02-20 - Vinyl Fever - Tallahassee, FL *2004-02-20 - Will's Pub - Orlando, FL *2004-02-26 - The Maintenance Shop - Ames, IA *2004-03-03 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY *2004-03-05 - T.T. the Bear's - Cambridge, MA *2004-03-25 - Cafe de la Danse - Paris, France *2004-03-29 - Mains D'Oeuvres - Paris, France *2004-03-31 - ICA - London, England *2004-05-26 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2004-05-27 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2004-10-08 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY *2004-10-11 - The Black Cat - Washington, D.C. *2004-10-12 - Cat's Cradle - Chapel Hill, NC *2004-10-15 - The Social - Orlando, FL *2005-03-25 - Rubber Gloves - Denton, TX *2005-05-04 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA *2005-06-20 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR *2005-07-04 - Fulton Mall Parking Garage - Brooklyn, NY *2005-10-13 - Open End Gallery - Chicago, IL *2005-10-28 - Fuel Rocket Club - Dartmouth College - Hanover, NH *2006-07-29 - Pitchfork Music Festival - Union Park - Chicago, IL *2006-08-22 - Amoeba Music - San Francisco, CA *2006-10-01 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2006-10-24 - Randy Bacon Gallery - Springfield, MO *2006-10-31 - Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge, LA *2006-11-04 - Cafe Eleven - St. Augustine, FL *2007-03-03 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR *2007-03-31 - Fritz's Corner @ Debaser - Stockholm, Sweden *2007-04-04 - Woody West @ Pusterviksbaren - Gothenburg, Sweden *2007-05-05 - Local 506 - Chapel Hill, NC *2007-06-17 - Zoop - Farm Sanctuary - Watkins Glen, NY *2007-09-20 - The Black Cat - Washington, D.C. *2007-09-22 - North Star Bar - Philadelphia, PA *2007-09-25 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario *2007-12-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *2007-12-10 - Oran Mor - Glasgow, Scotland *2008-06-06 - Natural History Museum - Los Angeles, CA *2008-10-31 - The Foundation - Lubbock, TX *2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2009-03-07 - Harvest of Hope Festival - St. Augustine, FL *2009-03-24 - Pearl Street - Northampton, MA *2009-06-14 - Zoop II - Farm Sanctuary - Watkins Glen, NY *2009-10-10 - Queen Elizabeth Hall - London, England *2009-10-11 - Ruby Lounge - Manchester, England *2009-10-15 - Magnet - Berlin, Germany *2010-03-14 - The Social - Orlando, FL *2010-05-16 - BreastFest - American Theater Company - Chicago, IL *2010-06-12 - Blue Moose Tap House - Iowa City, IA *2010-08-28 - Music for Fences - Durham Central Park - Durham, NC *2010-11-12 - Chapman University's Memorial Hall - Orange, CA *2011-02-15 - University of Washington - Meany Hall - Seattle, WA *2011-02-26 - Planned Parenthood Rally - Foley Square - New York, NY *2011-03-24 - The National - Richmond, VA *2011-06-18 - Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR *2011-12-16 - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA *2012-01-19 - Antone's - Austin, TX *2012-05-10 - The Corner Hotel - Melbourne, Australia *2012-06-22 - Rio Theater - Vancouver, British Columbia *2012-07-03 - Folk Music Center - Claremont, CA *2012-10-16 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2012-10-22 - Fine Arts Center - Calvin College - Grand Rapids, MI *2012-10-23 - Pabst Theatre - Milwaukee, WI *2012-10-27 - The Vic Theatre - Chicago, IL *2012-12-03 - Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK *2013-06-03 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. *2013-06-04 - Strand-Capitol Performing Arts - York, PA *2013-06-08 - Port City Music Hall - Portland, ME *2013-06-09 - Higher Ground Ballroom - South Burlington, VT *2013-06-19 - The Record Bar - Kansas City, MO *2013-06-20 - Old Rock House - St. Louis, MO *2013-06-22 - The Bottletree - Birmingham, AL *2013-06-27 - New Brookland Tavern - West Columbia, SC *2013-07-06 - Festival for the Eno - Durham, NC *2013-10-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *2013-10-13 - People's Place - Amsterdam, Netherlands *2013-10-16 - La Gaite Lyrique - Paris, France *2013-10-19 - Caprichos de Apolo - Barcelona, Spain *2014-04-15 - Pearl Street Ballroom - Northampton, MA *2014-04-19 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, IL *2014-06-05 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO *2014-06-10 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *2014-06-11 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR *2014-06-14 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2014-06-15 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2014-06-17 - Mayan Theatre - Los Angeles, CA *2014-06-18 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ *2014-06-20 - Dan's Silverleaf - Denton, TX *2014-06-21 - Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX *2014-06-22 - The Mohawk - Austin, TX *2014-06-27 - Boys Rock for Girls Rock - Haw River Ballroom - Saxapahaw, NC *2015-11-20 - Autumn Falls Festival - Le Botanique - Brussels, Belgium *2016-04-18 - City Winery - New York, NY *2016-09-01 - The State Theatre - Falls Church, VA *2016-09-02 - Ace of Cups - Columbus, OH *2016-09-03 - Mr. Small's - Millvale, PA *2016-09-26 - The Englert Theatre - Iowa City, IA *2017-10-05 - Brudenell Social Club - Leeds, England *2019-05-07 - Mr. Smalls - Millvale, PA *2019-05-10 - Cannery Ballroom - Nashville, TN *2019-09-28 - City Winery - Philadelphia, PA *2019-11-20 - Button Factory - Dublin, Ireland *2019-11-23 - Cafe Torgal - Ourense, Spain Videos of this Song *2003-06-27 - Mains D'oeuvres, Mofo Festival - Paris, France *2003-07-02 - The Guinguette Pirate - Paris, France *2006-07-29 - Pitchfork Music Festival - Union Park - Chicago, IL *2006-10-24 - Randy Bacon Gallery - Springfield, MO *2006-10-31 - Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge, LA *2006-11-04 - Cafe Eleven - St. Augustine, FL *2007-09-25 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario *2008-06-06 - Natural History Museum - Los Angeles, CA *2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2009-10-15 - Magnet - Berlin, Germany *2010-03-14 - The Social - Orlando, FL *2011-02-15 - University of Washington - Meany Hall - Seattle, WA *2011-02-26 - Planned Parenthood Rally - Foley Square - New York, NY *2011-03-24 - The National - Richmond, VA *2011-06-18 - Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR *2012-06-22 - Rio Theater - Vancouver, British Columbia *2013-06-09 - Higher Ground Ballroom - South Burlington, VT *2013-06-19 - The Record Bar - Kansas City, MO *2013-06-20 - Old Rock House - St. Louis, MO *2013-10-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *2013-10-13 - People's Place - Amsterdam, Netherlands *2014-06-05 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO *2014-06-20 - Dan's Silverleaf - Denton, TX *2014-06-21 - Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX *2019-07-18 - Ottobar - Baltimore, MD (Erin McKeown with John Darnielle) *2019-07-22 - Asbury Lanes - Asbury Park, NJ (Erin McKeown with John Darnielle) *2019-09-28 - City Winery - Philadelphia, PA Category:All Hail West Texas songs Category:All Hail West Texas (Remastered) songs Category:Video